Chicago – June 11, 2026
Federal authorities have seized over a dozen websites they say were used by suspected Chinese agents to recruit former and current American officials with security clearances.
According to the FBI’s affidavit for the seizures, several unnamed people used the websites as a front for fake “consulting companies to recruit individuals in the United States to obtain sensitive and possibly classified information in exchange for monetary payments.”
The websites allegedly advertised for such positions as “International Affairs Analysts (Remote),” Defense Analyst, “Jobs for Ex-Military Personnel” as well as generic “consulting” positions.
The affidavit lists seven unnamed people who were recruited through the websites and says the recruiters asked for papers on various subjects including China and US relations, Iran and the Israel-Palestine war — all while pressing for insider or exclusive information.
